Best Streaming Services

• fuboTV offers a channel count you'd find with traditional TV (and without the fees).
• It has a easy-to-navigate user interface.

fuboTV offers more channels than any other live TV streaming service in the industry.

That means you'll get channels for news, sports, lifestyle, kids, and entertainment. So if you're looking for your favorite show that mysteriously disappeared from your current streaming service, fuboTV might have it. But one part that really makes fuboTV stand out is the number of sports channels you'll get access to.

With the Pro plan, you'll get 35 sports channels; with Elite, you'll get a whopping total of 50. That's the highest number of sports channels you can get with any TV provider out there.

Here's a sneak peek of the channel lineups so you can better understand which is best for you. I personally have the Elite plan.

fuboTV's Pro package includes the following channels:

fuboTV's Elite plan includes all of the channels above and the following:

Find out why we named fuboTV the best live TV streaming service. 

fuboTV made our list of best streaming services for Spanish speakers because it offers a Latino package with more than 65 Spanish-language channels ($33/month) para tu familia o para tu Abuelita.

fuboTV wins at the interface game. fuboTV has a unique interface that is easy to navigate and quickly helps you find something you want to watch. Here are a few examples of why.

First, when you open up your home page, you'll find six tabs at the top to get you to what you want within seconds. Other services usually have only three.

But what I wanted to highlight here in this photo is fuboTV allows you to choose your "favorite channels," and those are conveniently listed in front so you can get to the NFL game or Hallmark movie ASAP.

Second, if you're a sports fan, you'll like this feature:

The Sports tab recommends featured sports shows and events. There's also a horizontal list of sports to choose from, such as basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, etc.

And third, fuboTV's guide is so easy to navigate.

The guide has a drop-down menu on the left to change the date. Choose a genre of channels you'd like to browse and use the search bar at the top to get to your favorite TV network with a few taps.

• It could be close to a 5-star service if it had unlimited DVR storage space.
• It doesn't have TNT for the NBA fans.

fuboTV has made enormous changes to its service over the years, and it became our 31 choice in 2021 and still holds the title.

One of those significant changes was increasing the Cloud DVR storage. fuboTV raised its DVR storage to 1,000 hours of storage from 30 hours. 

Instead of recording only 15 TV shows and about six movies, you can now record at least 75 TV episodes and nearly 30 films. So even though it's not unlimited, this service still provides more storage than you might know what to do with.

And YouTube TV also comes out on top for NBA fans. If you're a diehard Boston Celtics fan, I suggest ordering YouTube TV because it has all of the channels you'll need for the NBA regular season and postseason games.

• YouTube TV has an outstanding variety of channels.
• YouTube TV is the only service to offer NFL Sunday Ticket.
• This live TV streaming service has an unlimited DVR storage.

YouTube TV comes in at a close second because it has a variety of channels most families want. (Scroll down a little for a list.)

Although it's only $7 less than fuboTV's Pro package (which has about 80 more channels), YouTube TV is the only live TV streaming service that offers NFL Network and NBA TV in its lineup for $73 per month.

And if you're an NBA fanatic, you're going to want YouTube TV because it's the best for streaming all NBA games.

Sadly, Youtube TV recently removed MLB Network from its channel lineup. fuboTV is the only live TV streaming service you can order MLB.TV with, but beware that fuboTV doesn't have the TBS channel for MLB games.

Now, for NFL fans, you can bundle NFL Sunday Ticket with YouTube TV service. Add NFL Sunday Ticket to your YouTube TV subscription for $349 a season, or add it with the NFL RedZone Channel for $389.

YouTube TV will even let you purchase Sunday Ticket alone or with RedZone without a subscription—you'll just pay $100 more. 

If you're not interested in bundling both services but aren't sure which one to choose, check out our breakdown of NFL Sunday Ticket vs. NFL RedZone.

And, of course, this service has channels for the kiddos and for the roommate who loves reality TV.

Check out the full YouTube TV channel lineup to see if it has the channels you and the house can enjoy, but here's a sneak peek:

The DVR's unlimited storage space is a feature that plays into the value of YouTube TV.

Only YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV give you an unlimited DVR storage space, and your recordings will save for nine months.

You can record all episodes from The Office and Friends on your smart TV and all the movies your heart desires.

The DVR comes in handy during game season too. You can record a great NFL football game one season, save it, and watch it again during the summer when you're missing the gridiron action.

• No MLB, HISTORY, PAC-12 Network, or Tennis Channel.

Bad news for Ancient Aliens fans, USC junkies, baseball fans, and Rodger Federer followers—unfortunately, you can't get your fix with YouTube TV.

But if you do go the YouTube TV route, here are some solutions:

• The Roku Channel and Pluto TV can help those who need their HISTORY Channel content. Find more information about these two services in our best free streaming services review.
• On the other hand, access to the Tennis Channel and PAC-12 Network is a bit tricky. You can stream all Wimbledon games through ESPN+. But you'll have to sign in with a TV provider login on Pac-12.com/live to watch your Trojans take on the University of Utah Utes.
• While it's unfortunate YouTube TV and the MLB network parted ways this year, you can still find various national MLB games covered on ESPN, TBS, or Fox.

• Hulu + Live TV has a variety of popular channels like fuboTV and YouTube TV.
• Hulu Live comes with the Disney+ bundle.
• This live TV streaming service has an unlimited DVR storage.

Some families might find that with the right plan, Hulu + Live TV has a better value than fuboTV or YouTube TV. 

If you go the no-ad route, you'll get 15 channels fewer, but you'll have access to Hulu's on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+. That's three additional subscriptions baked into one price. Disney+ as a standalone ad-free subscription is $14 per month while ESPN+ is $11, saving you $8 a month compared to purchasing each service a la carte.

Check out the full Hulu + Live TV channel lineup to see all 85 channels you'll receive in your area, but here's a sneak peek (and scroll further down for the sports):

I got ahead of myself and already mentioned how great of a deal Hulu Live gives with including the Disney+ bundle, but allow me to reiterate it again:

When you order Hulu Live's no-ad plan for $88, you'll get a 4-in-1—Hulu + Live TV, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. 

Disney+ has over 500 films, 15,000 episodes, and 80+ Originals split between Disney, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, and Star Wars.

ESPN+ gives you live game coverage for 20+ sports without a TV provider login. This service is also home to UFC, you can stream some 2024 NFL games, and lots of NCAA college games.

• With only 85 channels, you won't find all of the top sports channels here.

Hulu Live is not one of the best TV providers for sports, but it's reasonable for the average sports fan. 

You'll get some college sports channels, NFL Network, Golf Channel, and traditional sports channels, like ESPN. But you won't find NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, PAC-12 Network, or the Tennis Channel with Hulu Live.

But take a look at the sports channels Hulu Live does offer in case it satisfies your sports-watching needs:

• Netflix has lots of Original content, let alone the largest quantity of content compared to all services.
• This on-demand streaming service has a traditional interface.

Netflix is No. 1 in Original content with its famous directors, producers, and actors—and let's not forget the great comedy specials. It's no question that lots of Netflix's Original content has become popular and known.

Some popular Original series you've likely heard of include: Ozark, The Great British Baking Show, and Stranger Things.

Some current, fantastic Netflix Originals you can binge this weekend include:

• Outer Banks
• Wednesday
• You
• The Lincoln Lawyer
• Emily In Paris
• Harry & Meghan
• Peaky Blinders
• The Crown
• Virgin River

Grab your popcorn because you'll enjoy stellar movies like Glass Onion, Damsel, The School for Good and Evil, White Noise, Trolls, and Bullet Train.

You'll have hours upon hours of content to watch while you wind down for the day.

I think most people can say they like Netflix's traditional, easy-to-use interface of horizontal lists of Popular, Trending, New Releases, Top 10 in the US Today, and so on. You're guaranteed to find something to stream on your Friday movie night.

With Netflix, you can find yourself in bed all day just watching great entertainment. Seriously. It's not like anyone I know of has experienced it or anything.

On top of the friendly interface and the fact that we all can find ourselves stuck streaming in bed, Netflix's parental controls are on point. This is why we named it the best streaming service for kids. You can create a kid's profile and a PIN so your little ones can't access mature TV shows and movies.

• Netflix is the most expensive on-demand streaming service.
• Now, Netflix is cracking down on password sharing.

Netflix has three plans: Standard with ads for $6.99, Standard for $15.49, and Premium for $23.99.

The Standard with Ads plan will give all but a few TV shows and movies in standard high definition (HD). And you can stream on two supported devices at once.

The Standard plan's price isn't too hard to swallow. When you upgrade to this plan, you get the option to download content on two separate devices as well as the option to add one extra member who isn't in your household.

Like the Standard plan, you'll get to stream your content in HD, but you'll also get 4K viewing with the Premium plan. Netflix's Premium plan is the most expensive on-demand plan in the industry, but it might be worth upgrading from the Standard plan if you and your family will likely stream on four devices at once.

You'll also be able to download on up to six devices at once. That'll come in handy on your next family camping trip with no Wi-Fi. For $4 more, you won't have to worry about getting booted off your account when watching Schitt's Creek.

What is an ad-supported video streaming service?

Netflix and Hulu, for example, offer an ad-supported tier as a cheaper plan for those who are looking to save money. (You could save $7–$9 per month.)

You'll get all of the same content as the no-ad plan, but you might see ads at the beginning and possibly in the middle of your TV show or movie.

Gone are the days of sharing your password with anyone and everyone. Now, unless you get extra member slots with the Standard plan or Premium plan, you must be living under the same roof as the account holder to truly "password share."

Unfortunately, now you'll have to pay to add another member to your account. Netflix now offers extra member slots. For $7.99/month per extra member, you can add one to a Standard plan, while Premium lets you add two. While $8 is a great price for Premium, it's still $1 more than just opening a Standard with ads account for $6.99/month. 

• Hulu delivers loads of newer network content.
• Hulu has also been known for its Original content.

You can count on Hulu to deliver the recently-aired episode of Bob's Burgers and 9-1-1 soon after it airs on live television.

For example, when The Bachelor/ Bachelorette airs on ABC Monday night, it will become available by 9 a.m. (ET) the next morning. (Or you could sign up for Hulu Live TV to stream episodes the night they premier.)

Now that's great timing—especially for us impatient people who don't want to see any spoilers on Twitter or Instagram.

Other next-day TV shows include Good Trouble, Snowfall, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Family Guy, and Grown-ish. This unique feature is what makes Hulu one of the best for cord-cutters.

Netflix wins the title for the best Original content, but Hulu is one of our top five favorites for its unique content. You won't find these shows anywhere else besides on this specific streaming service.

Hulu includes the following Original series and movies:

• You'll have the upgrade to get no ads.

With Hulu, you'll want its most expensive plan for no interruptions.

No one wants to watch two ad breaks every 30 minutes. So, you might upgrade to the $15 per month plan.

Keep in mind that Hulu only lets you stream on two devices at once with both plans. That's nice for those who want the $8 per month plan, but this can become a problem for large families.

Hulu is one of the cheapest streaming services at $8 per month (with ads), and keep the streaming bills low with other cheap services like Peacock ($8–$14), Apple TV+ ($7), and Paramount+ ($8–$13).

• Sling TV is perfect for TV-watching money savers.
• Sling TV is offering $10 off your first month on all its packages.

Sling TV has three inexpensive packages: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Sling Orange + Blue.

Sling Orange and Sling Blue are each $40 per month, which is an excellent price as the average price of live TV streaming services is double that. The difference is in the channels.

Sling Orange has about 32 channels, including Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, and Food Network.

Sling Blue has about 40, including FOX News, MSNBC, Nick Jr., TBS, and USA. So I encourage you to check out the channel lineups to find out which package is the best for you and your family.

On the other hand, the Orange + Blue plan gives you all of the channels in Sling Orange and Sling Blue in one package for $15 more.

But keep in mind, Sling TV is NOT ideal for sports fans. With the most expensive plan, you get only seven sports channels (if you include TNT for NBA games). If you are willing to spend $15—$20 more, you can get access to 16 sports channels with YouTube TV or over 20 with fuboTV.

• Sling TV's DVR storage space is questionable.

I hate to say it, but Sling TV's DVR is one of the poorest DVRs in the industry (but it comes with the price).

A DVR with 50 hours can fill up quicker than you think, especially if you're sharing with the fam. And you'll have to add $5 to your monthly bill for the 200-hour DVR storage space.

If you choose to keep the 50-hour DVR storage, remember your older recordings will automatically delete so the DVR can find storage space for your new recordings.

No other live TV streaming service has this low capacity for their DVR service, but you get what you pay for. Hulu + Live TV used to offer 50 hours, but recently they upgraded their service to provide unlimited hours of storage.

At least Sling TV has an excuse because this service is on the inexpensive side.

• Access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.
• A Disney+ subscription is right at the average pricing mark.

This streaming service takes both parents and children to a simpler world, the wilderness, or outer space—places we all want to visit during our downtime. 

With Disney+, we can stream The Princess and the Frog, Spider-Man, Bluey, Encanto, Bambi, The Sandlot, The Mandalorian, and The Simpsons. 

You’ll also find newer movies, like Peter Pan & Wendy, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Rise, and West Side Story. 

Unless you’re not a fan of nostalgic cartoons, superheroes, and galaxy stories, Disney+ is a staple service. 

So how can we get this lovable streaming service at the best price?

The average pricing for an on-demand streaming service today is about $11 per month, which is more than the price of Disney+ with ads. And nobody wants ads.

The priciest on-demand service is Netflix at $20, and a few services, like Paramount+, are as cheap as $8. 

You might have heard of the golden “Disney bundle” before. And trust me when I say this is a bundle worth having because you get three services for only a few dollars more.

The bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. 

If you get the bundle with ads, you’ll save $12 more than if you were to get each service on its own. And if you upgrade to zero ads, you’ll save $15 per month.

• Nothing.
• Ok, maybe it’s worth calling out that it’s not a standalone service.

Not everyone in the home will want to watch only animated movies and adventurous series. Others might want to watch drama or reality shows, for example.

But hey, this might be where the bundle comes in handy. Your Kardashian-loving family member will enjoy Hulu, and everyone can watch tennis matches and UFC fights with ESPN+.

• It’s included if you already have Amazon Prime.
• Prime Video has must-see Originals.

If you’re like the other 200 million people with Amazon Prime *raises hand*, then you already have access to Amazon Prime Video!

You can order Amazon Prime Video by itself for $9, but if you pay $6 more per month, you can also get speedy Prime shipping, a free Kindle book monthly, and a plethora of other perks. 

Amazon Prime’s Original content is something to applaud. Prime Video knows how to create content that keeps people coming back. You can watch the following Originals:

Not only will you have access to the on-demand library, but also with a Prime Video subscription, you'll have access to Thursday Night Football. 

• Prime Video doesn’t have great content aside from Originals.

I’d argue that Amazon Prime Video makes great Original content, but there’s not many titles outside of the Originals that you’d want to watch. 

Prime Video advertises itself as having an enormous library, but the reality is a big chunk of those titles are for rent or to buy. 

Some titles you can enjoy with your Prime Video membership at no extra cost are the following:

• fuboTV: fuboTV is our favorite streaming service because, for $80–$90 per month, you'll get access to 190–259 channels and on-demand content (network TV shows and movies). 
• YouTube TV: Coming in at a close second, you'll get a great variety of channels for whatever mood you might be in for $73 per month. Plus, you'll have access to YouTube TV's NFL Sunday Ticket plus NFL RedZone bundles.
• Hulu + Live TV gives you 85+ live channels, Hulu's on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $82–$96 per month.
• Netflix: Netflix's Original content is tough to beat. Netflix's ample funding provides for top-notch productions you'll only find on this streaming service. Not only is it No. 1 in Original content, but it's also number one overall with its ginormous library of 6,000+ titles that will never leave you bored.
• Hulu: If you want to watch the latest episode of your favorite network TV show and don't have cable TV, Hulu is a no-brainer for streaming TV. I know you need to catch up on The Bachelorette ASAP to see if your Bachelorette bracket is still alive. Hulu also creates an abundant amount of excellent Original content, like Only Murders In the Building.
• Sling TV: If you want live TV channels but are on a budget, Sling TV is the service you'll be most happy with. You can get 32–40 channels for only $40 per month while saving for that new home.
• Disney+: This streaming service is a staple for a reason—it gives you access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content. And you get all of this for $14 per month.
• Amazon Prime Video: With an Amazon Prime subscription, you can stream all of the excellent Prime Originals whenever you want. Included in that $15 subscription is next-day Prime shipping and a handful of other services.

If you want to explore other streaming services, check out our top live TV streaming service picks and our top on-demand streaming service picks.

If you're new to streaming, you might be interested in why we like Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices the most in our Best Streaming Devices review.

A streaming service that provides the content you enjoy may come as live content, like sports, news, and the latest singing competition show. Or it may be on-demand content like the latest Netflix Original show everyone can't stop talking about (like Wednesday).

And it could be both.

• A fair number of channels or on-demand content
• An affordable price for the number of channels or content you receive
• A good variety of channels/content
• Sufficient DVR storage space (live TV)
• Add-ons and subscriptions (live TV)

When choosing the best live TV streaming service for you, the first thing you want to consider is price. How much are you willing to spend on a live TV service?

For example, Sling TV is the best for money-savers, YouTube TV is average pricing, and fuboTV is the most expensive.

With that, you'll want to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck. Sling TV will have the fewest channels, while fuboTV will have the most (and double-check that you get a variety you like).

The average DVR storage space for live streaming services is about 500 hours. But you might only need a little space and find Sling TV's 50-hour storage space sufficient.

When choosing an on-demand streaming service, the name of the game is getting the content you want to watch. Netflix has a library of 6,000+ titles and is the priciest on-demand service, and you'll find Ted Lasso with Apple TV for only $7 per month.

An excellent on-demand streaming service has a decent variety of content, such as network TV shows, films, and Original series and movies.

We compare and rank streaming services based on five key factors:

1. Content/ channel variety for everyone
2. Content/ channel count
3. Price
4. DVR storage space
5. Add-ons

We chose the best streaming apps that have a variety that everyone in the family can enjoy. Our top-rated live TV streaming services have channels ranging from news to sports to kids, while on-demand streaming services have a library filled with many genres.

The next thing we look at to determine the best streaming service is the amount of on-demand content or live TV channels.

The price has to be fair in relation to the assortment and the bulk of content and channels. For example, Apple TV+ has one of the smallest (but fantastic) on-demand libraries, and it's reflected in its pricing at $7 per month.

And lastly, when looking for a live TV streaming service, we consider the DVR storage space and add-ons. You'll want to ensure your next service has the add-ons you constantly use, like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, the NFL RedZone Channel, and Acorn.

One of the best things about streaming services is that they’re easy to test! We try all the services that we review, so any time we have a comment about user interface or content quality, you know we speak from personal experience.